Bob Uecker needs more heart surgery

MILWAUKEE -- Brewers radio announcer Bob Uecker needs surgery on his heart again after a tear was discovered at the site of his valve replacement.

The team says Uecker will have the surgery on Tuesday that will be performed by the same doctors who did his initial procedure on April 30. Uecker's recovery time is expected to be at least eight weeks.

Uecker

"I'm approaching this with the same optimism that I had the first time, and I appreciate all of the kind thoughts and well wishes from Brewers fans and everyone who has reached out to me," the 75-year-old Uecker said in a statement. "I look forward to being ready to go well before Spring Training in Arizona."

Uecker returned to the booth in July after his first surgery that replaced his aortic valve, aortic root and part of his ascending aorta along with a coronary bypass.

He acknowledged his doctors weren't thrilled about his decision to come back so quickly and joked that he let them throw out the first pitch for his first game back to persuade them.

Doctors believe the recent tear that requires the second surgery is due to a staph infection that he acquired roughly six weeks after the April procedure.

"Bob's heart is stronger now following his initial operation and therefore I think he will tolerate this operation very well," said Dr. James Kleczka, who has been treating Uecker along with Dr. Alfred Nicolosi. "I expect that he will need eight to 10 weeks to fully recover, after which he will be back to life as usual."

Uecker finished his 40th season broadcasting Brewers games this year. He's also known for his work in commercials, the TV sitcom "Mr. Belvedere," the "Major League" films and his many appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

Uecker also underwent heart surgery in 1991 and made a full recovery in about five weeks. He received the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting in 2003.